Winter Beds
by GuySuperDuper
Summary: Unaccountable nightmares plague Hiccup in the night. He can't find an explanation for the visions that dominate him when he sleeps. What's going on in his head, and can the duo confront where it takes them? Picture credit goes to Mergreze at Deviantart.


A/N: Took me more than a month, but here it is: the first official chapter! I hope you enjoy!

Edit: Alright, so I read through the prologue once more since I wrote it and realized it's VERY terrible and not the kind of impression I want to give readers from the get-go, so I removed it. I don't think anybody will be really confused without it, it's almost completely unnecessary and I don't know why I wrote it, but one thing I need to make clear is that Hiccup is in fact sixteen, so this is maybe a year or two after the events of the movie.

* * *

Chapter 1: Spiderhead

The fog found its way in and slithered inside, violently infecting my mind with lurid and malignant images. A diseased, ghostly fluid stained my insides and thrashed against my bones. It carried plaugue and an indescribable fear I could never imagine, a destructive, animated, polluted hurricane crashing and churning inside me. Yearning to break me down and sweep me away. Yearning to destroy, like it always would.

I was soaked in water and cold sweat. So many things raged around and throughout. I felt like I was drowning, turning, freezing, and falling all at the same time as I stumbled through the dark. I was so overwhelmed with whrilling emotions and the intangible that I could only concentrate on the one objective in mind or risk stopping to think. I focused only on running. I couldn't let myself fall in.

I tripped and heard a crack as my face hit a step, but I couldn't tell what it was. Either the stone or my nose, I was already on my feet and running again without registering a fragment of pain. A coldness had seemed to take all feeling long ago, completely numbing the whatever crunch it sounded. I had fallen, but it barely slowed me down.

Colors and objects didn't seem to be pertinent in whatever existence this was. I was suspended in a nothingness abandoned of light. Perfect darkness weighed down on my shoulders like it had its own density. I felt like the world was folding in to crush me.

Despite what my sight couldn't reveal, there was a floor under me and walls caging me in. I was stuck in a maze of rayless tunnels, occasionally stumbling up and down stairs that led to nowhere and turns that led to more endless turns. I had to rely on the dead sense of touch for a way out, smashing into walls as they split and twisted randomly, crashing down when the level floor suddenly wasn't and steps were. I was so cold I couldn't even get my fingers to bend. It was like the blood inside had turned to ice and were frozen in place, but I still hoped and clawed the walls desperately for any small openings to squeeze through.

I had no idea if there was some kind of exit. I couldn't even remember if there was an entrance, but turning back wasn't an option. If I did, I would surely die. So I did the only thing I could: I tumbled and scrambled farther into the deep, fleeing from the more permanent passage out.

It was smothering; the pressure increased with every step I took. I felt more restrained by the shattering waves in my chest. They continued to condense and crush my insides, wrapping my heart in frost, the ice filling the cracks and trying to break me like a stone. I could feel it spreading through the marrow of my bones.

The air hadn't swept down my throat for minutes now, but I wasn't short on breath. It scared me.

I was beginning to believe I was already dead.

* * *

The village was settling down, and it was refreshing after the long, loud day.

I walked down the empty street, sucking in the warm air, trying to stretch my wings. My eyes were fixed on the stars, something I couldn't help.

I felt good, despite everything. I found it hard to be mad.

The breeze was sweet, disturbing the torches set on the roadside, bringing the scent of flowers from the forest. Silence, except for the chattering of the leaves and the crashing of the mellow waves against the rocks. There was no one to be seen, and no eyes to trace your every movement.

The nights on Berk were always stunning. Peaceful- unbelievable in contrast to daytime. Usually the town was bustling with people going about their routines; women shouting at the kids and hatchlings chasing each other around the square, dragons swooping down and roaring to the clouds in joy, the occasional booming laughter of men bouncing off houses- everything you could imagine.

But as the sun fell, it was all pulled under the land. Only whispers of conversation slipped through the cracks of structures, and, every so often, a drunk warrior would emerge, humming a tune as he stumbled to his door. That was the extent of it. All the energy seemed to be buried underground until it would rise, once again, with the sun.

It was silent and still, about time everyone had turned their minds to their pillow and sleep, but mine was set on finding a certain, clumsy boy. I wouldn't waste this perfect night, and neither would he.

* * *

The enormous foot-falls reverberated off the stone walls, getting louder, getting nearer. The horrid monster could have been mere paces behind me now. At any time it could have effortlessly sprung forward and seized me, but it didn't. It seemed to be enjoying the chase.

My efforts were futile. It was making the final moments last before it finally caught his prey, loving every moment of the little meal trying, in vain, to get away. It probably didn't get much fun in this borderline existance, so he took this opportunity and stretched this terrifying game of cat-and-mouse out as long as possible. My fate was already set anyway.

Taunting, looming above, drawing closer in a gratifyingly slow pace. The rancid breath plumed and sunk, reaching my nose. It smelt of rotted flesh and a thick gust of smoke. I couldn't help but cough, and a gag leapt out from me. There were times in my life that I believed I could die whilst being forced to talk to someone with rank breath, but I was now certain I wouldn't live through a conversation with whatever this thing was. I wouldn't even try if that's what it really wanted. I scratched fiercely at the rocks and came around a corner into a wall.

But that was it this time. It didn't lead into another tunnel, no sharp turn up some stairs- it just stopped abruptly. A wall blocked the way.

There wasn't a door at the end. There wasn't a window to starlight. There wasn't a ladder to the open air. Nothing. Just a wall.

Just an end.

* * *

Stoick and Gobber were wobbling to the door when I walked in, mugs in hand and mead on their breath, bubbling in laughter and drunkeness. They could barely stay on their feet, even as they both supported each other. They almost collapsed on one another when they saw me.

I immediately regretted coming in.

"Aye! The devil himself! But I still can't tell who has the real motives and which is the sidekick. Boiled down, they're just the same!" Stoick rambled and slurred as he saw me, not making any real sense, but Gobber 'hic-ing' a laugh anyway. He was probably talking about his son, but I didn't like the way he spoke it. I had to restrain myself from slapping him.

He continued with his unintelligible complaining as they walked past me. Gobber shouted in agreement to something he said, but I didn't care to know what they were talking about. I didn't have the patience.

| | Have you seen Hiccup? | | I forced myself through their incoherent blabbering.

Stoick spilled his drink on the floor. "Can't say I have. Who knows with the lad! Probably in his room doing Thor knows what with-" He kept talking even as they went out and down the hill. I had already closed the door, but I could still hear him going on about his son.

The human duo were probably on their way to the mead hall to drown themselves with liquor until their heads were abnormally heavy and couldn't tell you which way was up. I was glad they were leaving, and I deduced Stoick wouldn't be able to make it back tonight. He would end up crashing over a keg and falling asleep wherever the ground welcomed him. Tomorrow, he would return in a more tolerant, normal state of mind. Alternately, he would come back a irritable monster, from what Hiccup called "A Hangover", and flinch at every sound with the vow to destroy everything in his path. A joy to be around, might I add.

It's not that I didn't like Stoick. As the father of my companion, I respected him, and he had proven he meant well. He had roles to fill, and he seemed to do his best with his only son. I just couldn't deal with what a few of those drinks did to him.

I disregarded the yelling outside and looked to the bedroom door of the preferred boy. A thought came to mind of Hiccup coming home one night, stumbling even more than usual, washed out with booze and giggling to himself until he cracked his head on a table. I dreaded it, because I knew it was inevitable around here. Vikings were cultured around drinking the awful stuff, for the pleasure I couldn't understand. I guess it was worth it. They did it so often.

I wouldn't stop the boy from doing what he wanted, but I hoped he would be smart about it. And that he wouldn't be more irritating than he already was under the influence.

I smiled at the thought, then shook my head. I was getting sidetracked.

I should have been more upset with the boy, but being angry with him was always difficult for me. He was the only one with that talent.

| | Hiccup! | | I called and waited for an answer, but didn't get a response. I groaned and climbed the stairs.

_That lummox better be here, _I thought, _or I'll ignite what he tries to- _

I opened the door.

_Of course._

* * *

This was it. The game was over. I tried to cover my face to breathe, but it didn't make a difference. I was trapped at a dead end without a chance of getting away. It was there, and I was still choking on its odor, so I knew it was close. It could have been hanging over me, but I couldn't tell, completely blind in the dark. I could only wait.

I was terrified, and a small wail escaped me, then something clicked.

Suddenly everything changed, and I didn't feel as scared as I should have. I was tired, rather.

Something came to mind that settled me into a harmony. I sensed it. I couldn't place what it was exactly, but it had been lost for a long time, and now, I could finally reach it. Something secure, hopeful, and comforting. I instantly felt at ease and loved the image. I wanted it, and the thing collected and manifested itself before me, drifting closer.

It was red.

I didn't understand why it appeared or what it meant, but it was _real_, and it was safe. I saw an escape, and I latched on quickly. There was no sense in the notion. Still, for some explainable reason, I knew it was everything I needed. I focused hard on it.

It grew and flickered, licking and caressing my fingertips. It was a light, and the only one, but it flourished with my concentration, warm and soothing in the cup of my hands. Spinning and reaching out in tiny spirals, the heat blazed through my frame. The ice inside thawed, and I was flooded with the spirit of the bright and powerful flames.

The red light portrayed an ordinary flame, but the more that I stared, the more that came clear. It contained something, blurry and distant, but it was there. Crashing, overlapping, spraying. I saw it every day, but it was so different here. It was so deep and endless.

I had the urge to jump in, to escape the dark, but I felt a _wrong_ness about what was waiting for me inside. A feeling told me to stay away. Down under, it was different, savage and evil, infected. It wanted to take me too, and I wouldn't find a way back. If I went, I would disappear.

Terrible things lurked. I could find no hope there- nothing about it was a relief. But I saw something familiar.

_You still remember, don't you_?

_Who could forget?_

* * *

| | Hiccup, wake up you lazy, useless- Ah! | |

I jerked up and racked my face against something, hard, then immediately fell back down. My head spun so fast I couldn't think, and I had the urge to puke.

Toothless yelped pitifully and jumped back from the bed, rubbing his nose on his paw. || Hiccup! What the Hel is the matter with you! || He snarled.

I hadn't shifted back into my ordinary stream of consciousness until the dragon once again composed himself and began snorting continuously, in anger and the irritation of his nose. My teeth hurt; I was too dizzy to sit up. My mind slushed around inside my skull, but I recognized who yelled at me. "Wha- ah. " I groaned, dropping back down, holding my throbbing nose. "Gods, my head."

|| Yeah, I can imagine. Great job. ||

I opened my eyes for the first time and saw Toothless, the situation piecing together in my head. "Ugh, you stupid reptile, what were you doing?"

He finished rubbing and wrinkled his nose. | | _I_ was waiting for you at the bridge. We were supposed to go flying, but I'm happy to see you had a good reason for not showing up.| | he responded bitterly.

Reality felt like a blow to the chest. I remembered promising him in the morning I would find him after work, but I forgot. I was so exhausted I went straight home without thinking.

"Oh, Toothless, I'm so sorry."

He snorted and gestured to me, || You look like you care a lot_._ ||

"No, bud, I was... really tired." I told him pathetically.

I could have cringed from my terrible excuse. I shook my head in self-frustration. "I'm sorry. I- I'll make it up to you." I promised as I sat up, still a little dizzy. I kept my eyes on the floor to hold the nausea at bay.

|| Alright, alright. | | He said impatiently and gently nosed my head. I was still clutching my face.| | Let me see. ||

"It's fine." I said as I looked up. I had trouble finding his eyes, scared to find some kind of venom in the dark green directed at me, even if it was unlikely, but I was guilty too. I hated letting him down. "Please don't be mad."

| | Gods, boy, just _shut up_. | | he said with a small laugh and licked my nose. I pushed him away in laughter and disgust.

"Okay, okay, don't." I giggled, relieved. "Well, how's _your _nose?"

He continued examining my face.| | I'm fine, but I am impressed. That was a good hit. | |

"I would say."

Toothless' voice was low and smooth. Just listening to him removed the edge from the headache I had.

| | Yeah, but you look fine. || he observed, confused. He began to look me over. || Why do I smell blood? Are you hurt elsewhere? ||

"Uh, This?" I raised my bandaged hand, "I cut it at the forge today, that's why I'm here right now. It's pretty deep." I gave a bit of pressure, and it complained to the touch.

He shook his head, like he should have expected as much. "Oh, give me a break." I said.

He leaned closer. || Smells deep. || he agreed and looked at me, || It's not serious, is it? ||

"No, I just have to keep it clean and it will heal." My hand was not what was on my mind at the moment, so I changed the subject. "But, how's your tail? Any problems?"

A few weeks ago I made some modifications to Toothless' tail. I worked in an "automatic crank" so the fin would adjust accordingly to Toothless' intentions and manuvers in flight. To put it simply, it allowed him to fly by himself, and it seemed we had nearly worked out all the kinks in the system. It was entirely reliable most times now.

He brought his tail around and raised the contraption in front of him, testing it.|| No, none at all from what I can tell, it's been flawless. Though, I haven't flown much today, only to get about town. ||

I was glad to hear it, but confused about the latter. "Why would you do that?"

|| I've been waiting for you, you senseless oaf. || He slapped me in the back of my head with his fleshy fin, then tossed me my prosthetic. Turning for the door before I even looked back up, he said, || Now get your gear and let's go. ||

Even with the capability of solo-flight, he wouldn't make his flights off the island unless I was with him. It was odd to me, because he insisted, and I thought I had only burdened him. There might have been things he could finally do without a human on his back, but he didn't care. Nothing changed. It was if I was still just as essential to his flight as I was when he still had his old tail.

I growled, "Excuse me! Don't I get to eat first?"

I could just hear him rolling his eyes. || You're _so _needy. We'll catch some fish. Come on. || He hopped downstairs.

"I'm needy. Sure." I grumbled as I struggled with the leg.

* * *

"We have to! We would die if we didn't!"

|| You ruin it! There isn't anything left and it's completely tasteless now. What's the point?||

"That is not true at all!" I laughed. "Try it." I held out the piece of cooked fish. I was sitting beside him, and the big, bad Night Fury drew back in absolute repulsion to the meat.

|| You're sucking all the nutrients out of it, || Toothless continued, || and you need it, fishbone. ||

"Whatever, lizard brain," I held up my arms and flexed, "I could take down a mountain with these."

|| You're supposed to see muscles when you do that. || He smirked.

"Well duh, look at them." I kissed the skin and bone of what should have been my bicep, expressing the "Mu-ah" sound.

He snorted and pushed me over. I held it out to him again. "Just try it."

The moon was now at its peak, dominating the night sky, the stars and the beautiful, murky, colorful puddles painting the black expanse. Every normal person should have been sleeping by now, but we had got back from our long flight only a while ago; it was our favorite time to go out, and we were still wide awake.

|| I won't. || The dragon asserted, looking down at me.

"Why?" I arced my head up, pulling the fish back, "Are you scared?"

He stared at me with a half-lidded, thoroughly unamused look.

"Well?" I smiled, waving the string of meat in the air.

||That isn't going to work. ||

"Come on!" I sat up, "It's good! Just a small bite. Please."

|| No. || he said simply and set his head down, closing his eyes, making clear that I couldn't coax him. The reflection of the fire flickered on his scales.

"Alright, fine, lame-o." I popped it into my mouth and enjoyed what he refused to praise.

|| I can smell countless things wrong with it. Who knows what you did to it. ||

"My cooking is great." I defended, even when I knew it wasn't wholly true, but I had cooked so much fish since I met him I could see the improvement. "And all I did was add butter and lemon and stuff."

|| The yellow fruit? ||

"Yeah."

|| Despicable. ||

"You just couldn't understand." I leaned back against him and grabbed my sketchbook, flipping to a page.

|| It's fine the way it is, but you insist on scorching it. You say it's not tasteless, but you have to add weird leaves and things to it . ||

"Humans are pretty picky, but don't you like your food to taste good?"

|| It's good fresh, and what do you know anyway? ||

"What? You made me eat a raw fish once! Thanks for that, by the way."

He smirked. || You were fine with it, you even ate it with a smile!||

"Are you kidding?" I said, outraged, "It was covered in-"

I shivered at the memory, and quickly pushed it out of my head, getting up for a cup of water. "I can't even think about that. It messed me up."

He snorted, || That's another thing: you humans and saliva. ||

"Ugh, and you think it's _so_ funny. You're disgusting." I grabbed one of dad's huge mugs and drained some water from the keg. Toothless knew I hated when he licked me, so he would occasionally attack me with slobber and ruin my clothes when he felt like making me mad.

He was a jerk, but I decided it was all fair game when, on a snowy day, I climbed up to meet him and pushed him off the roof. He was engulfed in a snow mound, all part of my plan, and he was furious. It was all worth it though, even after I was laughing so hard I slipped off too and fell on top of him. I couldn't stop still after he began burying me, because I knew that this would be forever timeless, and nothing he would do to me would measure up to it.

But... maybe I was wrong. That was child's play. Maybe it was time he got something even better, something that would make him so mad-

|| What's this? || I heard him suddenly pipe up.

"Hm?" I turned, wiping the smile off my face. He was looking at my sketchbook.

I walked over and investigated the picture he had taken an interest in. It wasn't the page I was at before. It must have flipped on its own. "Oh, I drew that last night."

It was some kind of landscape, a drawing stretching over both pages. It was a two-story cabin in the middle of the forest. The sun high in the sky, light piercing through the leaves, a bird sweeping through them, and many other things crammed on the small pages to make it look authentic. You might have thought that this place existed, and I had sat in front of it for hours to get it down exactly on paper, but it was just an image that popped in my head. Or, more so, something I couldn't get _out_ of my head and just wrote down to unload it.

I had done a pretty good job, and I was proud, but I had forgotten about it.

|| This is a lot of detail. How long did it take? || he asked as he studied it, trying to take in everything. I sat down next to him.

"A while. Maybe a few hours."

|| It's incredible. ||

I took a drink. "I hope so. I stayed up all night doing it."

He looked up, a little surprised. || You didn't sleep? ||

I sighed, watching the water move in the mug. "Uh-uh. I tried, but I couldn't."

I was ashamed of the fact. It seemed so childish - afraid to sleep because of some silly nightmares - but my fear was real. They were terrifying, and they got worse as the nights went by, making me even more apprehensive to close my eyes. They weren't normal; it was like a demon was visiting when I let my guard down, projecting images on the back of my eyelids.

I had the first one three weeks ago, then they came more often and more intense, until it was almost every night. Toothless was the only one that knew about them, and he understood how deeply they disturbed me. He was always there with his unyielding support and reassurance, and I couldn't explain to him how grateful I was for it. It was the only thing that kept me on my feet at times.

I was sure he knew what I meant by "_I couldn't_", but I confirmed it by simply saying, "You know." I was still too ashamed to admit out loud.

He ear fins lowered in concern, but told me seriously, || Hiccup, you need to sleep. ||

"I know, I do! it's just-" I stopped, then shook my head, feeling pathetic. "They keep coming, and I'm so sick of it!... And scared, you know?" I added quietly, looking at him. He nudged me, trying to cheer me up.

|| It's alright. || he told me. || Have you had any more? || Referring to the dreams.

"Yeah, this evening when you woke me up."

|| Do you remember anything this time? ||

He said "this time" because I could never remember what happened after I woke up. Every time I bolted up from my bed, my mind was wiped.

I thought about it, but nothing came. All memory of it was once again gone. "No. Nothing." I pulled up my knees and dropped my head, frustrated at myself. I groaned, "Gods, bud. What's wrong with me?" I couldn't relay what I was even scared of. Nothing about it was rational. He could have been justified in believing it was all an act, but I didn't have any reason to lie, and he trusted I wasn't.

|| There's _nothing_ wrong with you. It's just some kind of phase. || he said, looking to the fire. His eyes locked there for a moment, the fire glittering in the reflection, before he added, ||Or maybe it's a sign you need some change in environment. To take your mind of things and go someplace else for a while. With me, of course. ||

I laughed. "What? Are you suggesting a vacation?"

|| If that means that means the both of us leaving here for a while, then yes. || He declared, || It's been a long time coming, and I think we deserve to get out of here and have some fun for once. They can survive without us. ||

We had a lot of responsibilites with the dragon academy and teaching the kids, and all the while I had to balance the forge and learn what it meant to be chief. I didn't get much free time, and I realized I was really strung out. I needed a break, and maybe a breath of fresh air.

Toothless' proposal was very appealing. We hadn't had time to ourselves in so long, not really anyway. I was always working on something and we had to be at the academy every day. It was tiring, and I missed the freedom we used to have. This was our chance to live among ourselves for however long, just the both of us, and do the things _we_ wanted to do. He was right, we deserved it, and we earned to be selfish for just once. To live a little.

_What the Hel,_ I thought.

"You know what? I think that's a great idea."

|| Then it's settled. We're taking a... what was it? ||

"Vacation." The word felt good on my tongue, and I smiled as I leaned back against him.

|| Right. And until then, you can sleep with me if you want to. ||

I really had no idea what leaving meant, but I was already thinking about all the places we could go and things we could do. All the opportunities. "Thanks, bud."

He looked back down at the picture. || You really did a good job. ||

"Bet you could do better."

There was a massive, annoyed huff and roll of the eyes, || _Hiccup, for the last time, I can't draw. _||

"Sure you can, you just need to try!

* * *

A/N: Well, you did it. You made it through. And look at all those line breaks! Doesn't it look gross!?

I've been working on this chapter for so long and I was beginning to get sick of it, so I just wanted it out and to move on. I hope that doesn't show in some parts. I also realized how hard it is to write dialogue, I was really struggling, but it was super fun. I'll try to release the next part faster than the first, but don't count on it.

Leave a review and tell me what you think! You have no idea what it means to us writers.


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